Gazul
Gazul, Lord of Underearth Description A lesser Ancestor God, Gazul is the protector of the dead. Even in the time of the Ancestor Gods, Gazul pondered long on the mortality of his race. Born clanless, Gazul nevertheless established the Dwarf tradition of venerating their ancestors, whether living or dead. He also uncovered the signature runes for himself and his sibling gods: Grungni, Valaya, and Grimnir. These "signature runes" gave the Ancestor Gods and their followers power over specific elementals. A gloomy Dwarf, Gazul has jet black hair and beard with streaks of grey, especially at the temples and the corners of his mouth. He is normallly shown wearing armour of black iron under a black cloak, and carrying the great runesword Zharrvengryn ("Flaming Vengeance"). Alignment Neutral. Symbol Gazul's main symbol is a stylized cave entrance, which represents the entry to the Underearth where the spirits of the ancestors reside. A secondary symbol the flame, used mostly by the Dwarf witch-hunters of the Order of Guardians, an offshoot of his cult. Clerics of Gazul dress in black with red trim and wear Gazul's rune embroidered on the right breast. Witch-hunters wear dark-coloured armour underneath black cloaks. Area of Worship Dwarfs throughout the Old World and Norsca worship Gazul. His cult is particularly strong in the Dwarfholds of the Worlds Edge Mountains. Temples Every Dwarfhold has a temple to Gazul. They are always underground, adjacent to the hold's burial vaults. Ogre-sized statues of Gazul guard the entrance to the temple and the vaults. A small altar stands in the middle of the temple, where those honouring the dead can likewise honour Gazul. Shrines to Gazul are located in smaller Dwarf settlements, near their burial-places; the residents, rather than the clergy, maintain these shrines. Friends and Enemies The cult of Gazul is allied with the other cults of the Dwarf pantheon and with the Ancestor cults. It is on friendly terms with the cults of Sigmar and Mórr. The cult has little to do with other cults or races. As expected, the cult is hostile towards the enemies of the Dwarf, and especially toward necromancers and the Undead. Holy Days There are no holy days dedicated to Gazul. Observances to the Ancestor God occur during the burial rites for deceased Dwarfs, and whenever Dwarfs meet to honour their dead. Cult Requirements Any adult Dwarf may join the cult of Gazul. Certain Clerics of level 2 or above may be selected by the High Priest to become cult witch-hunters. The main goal of these Dwarfs is the eradication of necromancers and Undead creatures. Strictures All initiates, clerics, and witch-hunters of Gazul must abide by the following strictures: * Always oppose all defilers of the dead, especially necromancers. * Never refuse to perform burial rites for any that perish. * Never enter or disturb a place of burial that has been blessed. Spell Use Clerics of Gazul may only use the following Battle and Elemental magic spells: * Battle: Cure Light Injury, Detect Magic, Immunity From Poison, Mental Duel, Rally, Zone Of Sanctuary, Dispel Magic, Cause Instability, Cure Severe Wound, Drain Magic, Strength Of Mind, Zone Of Magical Immunity * Elemental: Banish Elemental (Earth and Fire only), Dispel Elementals (Earth and Fire only), Summon Elemental (Earth and Fire only) Clerics of Gazul may also use some Necromantic magic spells, but they must be careful in their use of Necromantic magic, because much of it directly violates the strctures of their faith. As a rule, clerics of Gazul may use any Necromantic spell which destroys or weakens the undead - such as Destroy Undead or Zone Of Life. No cleric of Gazul may ever summon or create Undead although there are some ancient tales of Gazul sending the spirits of Ancestors to the aid of his followers in response to fervent prayers. Spells for controlling Undead are something of a grey area. Everything depends on what the caster does with the Undead once they are controlled. According to the doctrine of cult, the only acceptable thing to do with controlled Undead is to order them to dispel, returning them to their rightful rest. Clerics of Gazul may also use spells and rituals that are functionally identical to the following rites of the cult of Mórr: Funeral Rite, Nameless Funeral, Exorcism, Purification Rite. In addition, they can use the following spell: Retribution Runes: * 1st: Enemy Detection, Restoration * 2nd: Alarm, Locking, Opening * 3rd: Healing * Master: Master Rune of Banishment Skills Level 1 Clerics of Gazul may purchase arcane language - necromentic magick in addition to the other skills. At each level achieved (including level 1), a Cleric of Gazul may also purchase one of the following skills: Cure Disease, Heal Wounds, Immunity To Disease, and Immunity To Poison. Trails Trails set by Gazul usually require his follower to seek out and destroy nests of Undead, or otherwise thwart the machinations of necromancers and the dark powers that command their allegiance. Blessings Gazul usually blesses his followers with temporary increases to T, Cl, and WP to overcome the power or special abilities of certain necromancers and Undead. Favoured tests include disease, fear, poison, and terror. Category:Rules Category:Religion